Cleaning appliance

Abstract

A hard surface cleaning appliance includes a hood separating an interior space within the hood from an exterior space outside the hood. The hood includes a top wall as well as a solid outer side wall and an inner side wall depending from the top wall. The outer side wall includes a lower edge that is adapted to contact a surface to be cleaned, while the inner side wall includes a lower edge spaced inwardly of the outer wall that is elevated above the surface to be cleaned. A vacuum passage is formed between the inner side wall and the outer side wall, and a vacuum source is fluidly connected to the vacuum passage. A spout within the interior space is fluidly connected to a cleaning liquid source. The appliance may include a vacuum relief passage extending through the hood and thereby fluidly connecting the interior space with the exterior space. A vacuum relief valve can prevent fluids from exiting the interior space through the vacuum relief passage, but allow fluids to enter the interior space through the vacuum relief passage. Also, the outer wall may include a solid outer depending side wall and a solid skirt mounted on a lower edge of the outer depending side wall, the skirt adapted to contact the surface to be cleaned.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A hard surface cleaning appliance comprising: 
       a hood separating an interior space within the hood from an exterior space outside the hood, the hood comprising:  
       a top wall;  
       a solid outer side wall depending from the top wall, the outer side wall comprising a lower edge that is adapted to contact a surface to be cleaned;  
       an inner side wall depending from the top wall, the inner side wall comprising a lower edge spaced inwardly of the outer side wall that is elevated above the surface to be cleaned;  
       a vacuum passage formed between the inner side wall and the outer side wall;  
       a vacuum relief passage extending through the hood and thereby fluidly connecting the interior space with the exterior space; and  
       a vacuum relief valve that prevents fluids from exiting the interior space through the vacuum relief passage, but that allows fluids to enter the interior space through the vacuum relief passage, the vacuum relief valve comprising:  
       a plate that is moveable between a closed position wherein it does not allow fluids to pass through the vacuum relief passage and an open position wherein it allows fluids to pass through the vacuum relief passage; and  
       a biasing member that biases the plate toward the closed position;  
       a vacuum source fluidly connected to the vacuum passage; and  
       a spout within the interior space that is fluidly connected to a cleaning liquid source.  
     
     
       2. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the outer side wall is a continuous wall, and wherein the inner side wall is a continuous wall. 
     
     
       3. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum relief passage extends through the top wall. 
     
     
       4. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the spout is a nozzle mounted on a rotatable arm within the interior space. 
     
     
       5. The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall comprises a solid outer depending side wall and a solid skirt mounted on a lower edge of the outer depending side wall, the skirt adapted to contact the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
       6. The appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the skirt comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
       7. A hard surface cleaning appliance comprising: 
       an outer hood comprising:  
       an outer top wall; and  
       a continuous solid outer side wall depending from the outer top wall, the outer side wall comprising a lower edge that is adapted to contact a surface to be cleaned;  
       an inner hood defining an interior space that is within the inner hood, the inner hood comprising:  
       an inner top wall below the outer top wall; and  
       a continuous inner side wall depending from the inner top wall, the inner side wall comprising a lower edge spaced inwardly of the outer side wall that is elevated above the surface to be cleaned;  
       a vacuum passage formed between the inner side wall and the outer side wall;  
       a vacuum source fluidly connected to the vacuum passage;  
       a vacuum relief passage extending through the inner top wall and the outer top wall, and thereby fluidly connecting the interior space with an exterior space outside the outer hood;  
       a vacuum relief valve that prevents fluids from exiting the hood through the vacuum relief passage, but that allows fluids to enter the hood through the vacuum relief passage, wherein the vacuum relief valve comprises:  
       a plate that is moveable between a closed position wherein it does not allow fluids to pass through the vacuum relief passage and an open position wherein it allows fluids to pass through the vacuum relief passage; and  
       a biasing member that biases the plate toward the closed position; and  
       a spout within the interior space that is fluidly connected to a cleaning liquid source.  
     
     
       8. The appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the spout is a nozzle mounted on a rotatable arm within the interior space. 
     
     
       9. The appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the outer side wall comprises a solid outer depending side wall and a solid skirt mounted on a lower edge of the outer depending side wall, the skirt adapted to contact the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
       10. The appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the skirt comprises polyethylene.